This year, the celebration of Rakshabandhan (on 3/8/20) was done in a different way. Every year, teachers used to escort groups of students outside. They used to visit govt. Offices, bazaars, general public etc and used to tie Rakhis to them. But due to the Corona Pandemic, our Raga town is in lockdown upto 4th August. However, the present staff celebrated the festival with as much gaiety and happiness as before.

Today (that is 3rd of Aug. 2020) being the last Monday of the Holy month of Shravana and also Poornima (Shravana Purnima or Rakshabandhan), it was decided by all the staff that we should perform a Shiv Puja. So, before the celebration of Raksha Bandhan, we conducted the said puja.

• All staff members took to fasting till the Puja was over. All materials were arranged for Shiv – Puja. Sri Raju Mishra, Junior Teacher of the school conducted the puja and did it with all formalities and tradition. The atmosphere was very pious and calm. For the Prasad and other materials needed for the puja, the staff members arranged themselves. It was a very enlivening to see the atmosphere choked with fresh dhoop and fragrance. Due to lockdown of whole Raga town, we couldn’t call or invite any of our students and parents. So the programme was attended by all 13 staff members and some family members. The puja was concluded around 12 noon.
• After the Shiv Puja, we celebrated the festival of Raksha Bandhan. Sri Om Prakash Upadhyaya anchored the programme. First of all, Sri Prabhakar KG highlighted the importance of the day. He narrated some events from our epics and history behind the legend of Raksha Bandhan and how this festival has wider meaning now. He said that it is the duty of human beings not only to protect each other, but also the plants, animals, birds, other creatures of nature etc.

Smti Seema Mishra tied the Rakhi to Swamiji first. Then all three didis tied rakhis to all brothers. The brothers also tied to each other. The bond of love and protection of each other became more vibrant.

The most important aspect of the celebration was tying of Rakhis to the trees and plants inside school premises. The principal Sri Trilochan Goutam first tied Raksha Sutra to a tree. Then other teachers did the same to other trees and promised to protect the nature so that the ecological balance is maintained for the sustenance of human life on earth.

A bhajan /Kirtan programme was also organised at 6 pm in which all teachers and family members sang bhajans/kirtans and concluded with Shiv Aarati and Kendra Prarthana.